Top-spinning pistol.



A. M. SMITH.-

TOP SPINNING PISTOL APPLIGATION FILED JULY 3, 1914.

' ,1 33,756. Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

W/ TNESSES //vv/v7 R A M 6/77/ h By Ms ATTORNEXS ran smwa arson.

ADAM M. SMITH, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JOSEPHREITER, 01E MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

TQl SEINNINGr EISTQL.

Spe ification of Letters ratent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application filed Ju y 1914. Serial No. 849,724.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ADAM M. SMITH, a citizenof the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepinand State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Top- Spinning Pistols; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved toy in the natureof a top spinning pistol, and to. such ends, generally stated, theinvention consists of the novel devices and combinations of deviceshereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several viewsi -Referringto the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the pistol heldin the hand and a top held by the pistol and ready to be spun thereby;Fig. 2 shows the pistol chiefly in vertical longitudinal section, butwith some parts in full elevation; Fig.3 is a plan view of the pistol,some parts being sectioned; Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal sectionshowing the muzzle end of the.

pistol; Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line m 00 on Fig. 2;Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation showing the top which is adapted tobe spun by the use of the pistol; and Fig. 7 is a view corresponding toFig. 2, with some parts in difierent positions and with some partsbroken away.

The top 1 has a spindle 2, the upper end of which is equipped with asmall spur gear 3. The combined barrel 4, and handle 5 of the pistol arepreferably made up of two pressed metal shells secured together by oneor more rivets 6 and a nozzlerclamping ring 7 having a tightening screw8.

WVorking telescopically within the barrel 4 is a tubular propelling boltor plunger 9, and also working within said barrel, back of said bolt isa tubular member 10 that serves as a head of a trigger and is providedwith a rigidly secured depending finger piece 11. This finger piece 11works through an elongated slot 12 formed in the bottom of the barrel 4.A trigger dog 13 is pivoted to the finger piece 11 and its hook-likefree end is engageable with a notch or detent 14 formed in the underrear portion of the propelling bolt 9. The free end of the said dog 13works through a slot 15 formed in the bottom of the barrel 9, forward ofthe slot 12, leaving a dog tripping bar or surface 16 between the saidslots. Here it may be noted that the dog 13, near its free end, has acam or oblique tripping surface 17 that is engageable with the trippingbar 16 when the finger piece 11 and head 10 are moved rearward intopositions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. A spring 18 applied to thefinger piece 11 yieldingly presses the free end of the trigger dog 13upward.

The numeral 19 indicates a long coiled propelling spring which, asshown, passes completely through the sleevelike trigger head 10 and intothe tubular propelling bolt 9. At its front end, said spring 19 pressesagainst a bearing pin 20 that is passed diametrically through thepropelling bolt with its ends working in guideways afforded by laterallybulged portions 21 of the barrel 4. At its rear end, the said spring 19re-acts against a portion of the handle 5.

The barrel 4, at one side, is provided with a forwardly projecting baror portion 22 that is formed with rack teeth adapted for engagement withthe pinion 3 of the top spindle. The propelling bolt 9, at its oppositeside, is formed with a forwardly projecting bar portion 9 which, asshown, is semi-cylindrical in cross section and is formed with upper andlower spindle seats or notches 23. i

The manner of using the pistol to spin the top is substantially asfollows: Normally, of course, the propelling bolt 9 will be pressedforward to its extreme position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. When thetrigger head 10 and finger piece 11 are moved forward, asshown in Fig.2, the trigger dog 13 will engage the detent 14 of said propelling bolt,and thereby lock the said head 10 and the bolt 9 together for commonrearward movements. While the parts are in their forward positions justnoted, the top spindle 2 is placed in the seats 23 and by a very slightrear-ward movement of the propelling bolt, its pinion will be engagedw1th the teeth of the rack 22. Then when the propelling bolt is drawnfarther rearward by pulling rearward on the finger plece 11, the spring19 will be compressed, and when the cam surface 17 on the dog 13 strikesthe bar 16, said dog will be released from the propelling bolt 9, andthe latter will be thrown violently forward by the spring 19. Thisforward movement of the propelling bolt rotates the topat high speed andwhen the propelling bolt reaches its extreme forward limit of movement,the top will be released and falling to the floor, will spin for aconsiderable length of time.

It is important to note that under the above described action, thetrigger on reaching its extreme rearmost position, is automaticallyreleasedfrom the'propelling bolt. The sleeve-like trigger head 10 isfree for sliding movements at all times except when its dog 13 isinterlocked t0 the propelling bolt. It may, therefore, be easily movedforward after firing, to reengage its dog with the propelling bolt.

The pistol described, has been put on the market and found eflicient forthe purposes had in view. It is found that it furnishes great amusementfor children, and hence, finds ready sale.

What I claim is:

1. A pistol for spinning tops comprising a handle-equipped barrel, aforwardly spring-pressed propelling bolt and a trigger mounted to slideon said barrel, means for coupling said trigger and said propelling boltwhile in forward positions, and for automatically uncoupling the same inrearward positions.

2. A pistol for spinning tops, comprising a handle-equipped barrel, aforwardly spring-pressed propelling bolt movable in said barrel, atrigger mounted to slide on the barrel and provided with a dog havinginterlocking engagement with said propelling bolt, and means forautomatically releasing said dog vfrom said bolt, under rearwardmovement of said trigger and bolt.

3. A pistol for spinning tops comprising a handle-equipped barrel, aforwardly spring-pressed propelling bolt and a trigger mounted to slideon said barrel, means for coupling said trigger and said propelling boltwhile in forward positions, and for auto matically uncoupling the samein rearward positions, the said barrel and propelling bolt havingcooperatin means for spinning a top, under forwar movement of thelatter.

4. A pistol for spinning tops, compriserating means for spinning a topunder for-Y,

ward movement of the latter.

5."A pistol for spinning tops, comprising a handle-equipped barrel and aforwardly spring-pressed propelling bolt working therein, one of thesaid members having a rack and the other spindle seats, cooperating tospin a top and to release the same under forward movement of saidpropellingbolt, a trigger having a head slidable on said barrel andprovided with a depending finger piece, and a yieldingly pressed triggerdog engageable with the detent on said propelling bolt, and a part onsaid barrel'engageable with said dog to release the same when saidtrigger reaches approximately the limit of its rearward movement.

6. In a pistol for spinning tops, the combination with a handle-equippedbarrel, of

a propelling bolt mounted to slide on said barrel and having aprojecting end formed with spindle seats, a rack projecting from the endof said barrel and cooperating with the spindle seats on said barrel inthe topspinning action, a tubular trigger head mounted to slide in saidbarrel and having a depending finger piece, an upwardly spring-presseddog connected to said finger piece and engageable with the detent onsaid propelling bolt, a surface on said barrel engageable with thesurface on said dog to release the same under rearward movement of saidtrigger head, and a coiled spring in said barrel extended through saidtubular'trig ger head and yieldingly pressing said propolling boltforward.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witneses.

ADAM M. SMITH.

Witnesses: r V i B RNIOE G. WHEELER, HARRY D. KILGORE.

Copies ofthls patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner 0: Patents,

Washington, D. 0. I

